1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device having plural photo-electric converting elements for converting incident light to electric signals.
2. Related Background Art
A solid-state imaging device for image formation is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-11264. This solid-state imaging device has plural imaging lenses arranged on a plane, the respective imaging lenses focus the light from an image object on two-dimensionally arranged sensors having respectively a photo-electric converting element, and the output signals from the two-dimensional sensors are processed in an image-processing section to form an image.
FIG. 11 shows schematically constitution of a set of a conventional solid-state imaging device. In FIG. 11, solid-state imaging device 67 comprises imaging lenses 61, 62, 63 for focusing the light from the imaging object onto color picture cell arrays 64, 65, 66 having respectively a color filter of R, G, or B. With the color filters of R, G, and B, a color image is formed by compound-eye imaging.
In prior arts, planar layout of picture cells and circuit structures has been investigated. However, no investigation has been made about the sectional structure of the semiconductor chip constituting the solid-state imaging device like that shown in FIG. 11 and the process for preparation thereof, so far as the inventors of the present invention are aware of. No practical solid-state imaging device for compound-eye color imaging has been made.
According to the investigation by the inventors of the present invention, in the case where the picture cell arrays 2, 3, and 5 are placed apart for convenience in arrangement of the imaging lenses, the semiconductor chip has to be made larger naturally in size. Further, in this case, light comes to be introduced between the picture cell arrays 2, 3, and 5, which may cause flow of generated carriers (electric charge) into adjacent picture elements to cause cross talk of output signals. Further, it may cause shading of the obtained image signals.